Attorney Profile

Warren D. Woessner is a registered patent attorney and a founding shareholder of Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner. His practice focuses on chemical patent law, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical treatments, diagnostics, and biofuels and agricultural chemistry, including related opinion and licensing matters. Warren received his B.A. in chemistry (1966) from Cornell University, his Ph.D. (organic chemistry, 1971) and his law degree (J.D., cum laude, 1981) from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. From 1972-1978 he worked for Miles Laboratories in new drug research. Warren was an associate attorney at Kenyon & Kenyon from 1981-1984, and then joined Merchant & Gould in Minneapolis. He founded their chemical practice group and became a partner in 1989. Warren also co-founded the Biotechnology Committee of the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association. He has published and spoken widely on legal topics, was the 1993-1995 chair of the Chemical Practice Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, chaired the Biotechnology Committee (2003-2005) and is currently a member of the Amicus Committee. He co-authored the AIPLA amicus briefs to the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court in J.E.M. Ag Supply v. Pioneer HiBred. Warren is a member of the Board of Advisers of "Patent Strategy & Management" (American Lawyer Media Inc.) He is also a Certified Licensing Professional - LES. Warren also has a popular blog about IP bio law that can be found at www.patents4life.com.

Areas of Practice:

• Agricultural chemistry
• Biofuels
• Bioinformatics
• Biomass Conversion
• Biophysical engineering

Bar Admissions:

• Minnesota
• New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Education:

• University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 1981
  • J.D.
  • Cum Laude
  • Law Review: Wisconsin Law Review, 1980 - 1981
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 1971
  • Ph.D.
  • Major: Organic Chemistry
• Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 1966
  • B.S.
  • Major: Chemistry

Presentations, Seminars, and Classes:

• The Collaborative Convergence Series – Medtech, Minneapolis, MN, Moderator, "Biologics & Device" (March 2009).
• Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, Speaker, "You Can't Patent That! Can You" and Judge, "A New and Exciting Game Show: Analyze that Contract" (February 2009).
• Licensing Executive Society, Annual Meeting, Kissimee, FL, Moderator, "Managing the Gladiators – Surviving Patent Litigation" (October 2008)
• Association of University Technology Managers, Eastern Regional Meeting, Boston, MA, Speaker, "Stem Cell Frontiers – Policy, Promise and Patents," (July 2008).
• BIO 2007 International Biotechnology Convention, Boston, MA, Panelist, "Life After Merck KGaA v. Integra Life Science," (May 2007).

Published Works:

• "Federal Circuit Applies Bilski Standard in Classen", Patent Strategy & Management, March, 2009
• "Ex Parte Kubin: Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences Applies Obvious To Try in Post-KSR Biotechnology Appeal", Patent Strategy & Management, January, 2009
• "Federal Circuit Split Decision on 'Public Accessibility' of Internet Posting", Patent Strategy & Management, April, 2008
• "Do-Over!' - The Federal Circuit Takes a Second Look at Enzo", J. Patent and Trademark Office Society, 85, 275, 2003
• ""Let's Get Physical" - Invited Open Peer Commentary on R. Eisenburg," How Can You Patent Genes?"", AM.J. Bioethics, 2, 21, 2002

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• American Intellectual Property Law Association, 2005 - Present
  • Fellow
• American Intellectual Property Law Association, 2005 - Present
  • Amicus Committee
• American Intellectual Property Law Association, 2003 - 2005
  • Chair, Biotechnology Committee
• American Intellectual Property Law Association, 2001 - 2003
  • Vice-Chair, Biotechnology Commit
• American Intellectual Property Law Association, 1999 - 2002
  • Amicus Committee

Past Employment Positions:

• Miles Laboratories, 1972 - 1978
• Kenyon & Kenyon, Associate Attorney, 1981 - 1984
• Merchant & Gould, Founder, Chemical Practice Group, Partner, 1989
• University of Wisconsin, School of Pharmacy, Postdoctoral Research Associate, 1971 - 1972